In the Name of the Muslim: Identity Politics and the Tragic State in Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire

Abstract

Muslim identity and research on narratives representing Muslims is a subject of unprecedented significance, especially after the fall of the Twin Towers in 2001. This research aims to analyze the change in Muslim identity on a global level as a result of terrorism. Post-9/11 fiction is abundant with examples in which humanity is victimized by terrorism. A new, suspicious identity was assigned to the followers of Islam; being Muslim, the individual was blamed for terrorist attacks. The legacy of terrorism continues to haunt new generations. The corporeal and monstrous transformations in the lives of immigrants are demonstrated by most South Asian writers. Kamila Shamsie articulates this alarming chaos through her characters. This research presents policies and agendas intended to counter identity politics framed in the name of Muslims. In the novel, Isma’s interrogation and her brother’s assassination are a powerful depiction of the terrorized world at large. A qualitative method of research based on close reading is used for the analysis of the primary text. Works by Hannah Arendt, Edward Said, and Vamik D. Volkan are used as theoretical resources to interpret the primary text.